McConnell participates in Neptune Falcon

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jenna K. Caldwell
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  McConnell KC-135 Stratotankers, along with nearly 50 Airmen, participated in Operation Neptune Falcon April 15-25.

The mission readiness exercise was a test of McConnell’s ability to deploy to any location and set up a station in the event of contingency operations. The first part exercise of the exercise involved home station preparation of personnel and cargo operations.

“We ensure our Airmen are ready to go by processing them through a variety of agencies such as the military personnel flight, Airmen and family readiness center, legal, medical, finance and chaplain services,” said Master Sgt. Tyrone Saunders, 22nd Logistics Readiness Squadron force management personnel deployment function noncommissioned officer in charge. “It is important to practice the [ability] to rapidly deploy our personnel and resources while continuing to refuel the fight at any given moment.”

The second part involved McConnell Airmen and assets, along with forces from MacDill AFB and Fairchild AFB, temporarily relocating to Moses Lake Washington to practice setting up a forward operating base.

“We processed cargo from multiple different units, built pallets and acted as if we are actually sending it off,” said 2nd Lt Joanne Cruz, 22nd Logistics Readiness Squadron Logistics Plans officer in charge. “It’s an important readiness exercise to practice because if something were to actually happen and we needed Airmen short notice, out the door in numbers, we would be able to do that efficiently.”